Turkey’s President Condemns Violence In SuperLig After FIFA Referee Gets Beaten

Summary:

• FIFA Referee gets assaulted by Ankaragucu team president
• Turkey’s President released a statement and condemned the assault
• SuperLig has been temporarily suspended and criminal charges will be filed

Football or Soccer as Americans call it is affectionately called the ‘Beautiful Game’ across the world but the term beautiful is slowly losing its charm as violence continues to mar football games around the world.

The Fédération internationale de football association (FIFA) which is the government body for global football along with its member associations have increased efforts in recent years to stomp out violence in footballs stadiums but FIFA will have to do step up its efforts after an ugly incident that has tarnished Turkey’s SuperLig.

FIFA Referee Punched and Kicked In The Head

The SuperLig is the premier football competition in Turkey and a number of top players such as Edin Dzeko who used to play for Man City, Wilfried Zaha at Man United in the English Premier League and Mauro Icardi who played for Paris Saint-Germain are part of the SuperLig.

The ugly incident took place in a game between Rizespor and Ankaragucu which was being officiated by FIFA referee Halil Umut Meler. Ankaragucu was leading 1-0 when full-time was called and a few minutes of injury time was added. During the extra injury time, Rizespor ended up scoring and making it 1-1. This upset Ankaragucu head Faruk Koca who stormed the pitch, ran straight to Halil Umut Meler and punched him in the face.

The referee dropped to the ground after taking a punch to the face and then tried to cover himself as Faruk Koca kicked him in the head. A number of players and coaching staff got involved and when things calmed down, Halil Umut Meler walked away with visible swelling to his eye.

Turkey’s President Recep Erdogan released a statement and said

I condemn the attack on referee Halil Umut Meler after the MKE Ankaragucu-Çaykur Rizespor match played this evening, and I wish him a speedy recovery. Sports means peace and brotherhood. Sport is incompatible with violence. We will never allow violence to take place in Turkish sports.

Turkish Football Federation Initiate Criminal Proceedings

Turkish Football Federation (TFF) has temporarily suspended all SuperLig games and have promised stringent action.

TFF released a statement which said

This vile attack was not only made against Halil Umut Meler. Today, this inhumane and despicable attack was made against all stakeholders of Turkish football. In coordination with our State, all the criminal proceedings they deserve have been initiated against those responsible and instigators of this inhumane attack. The responsible club, the Club President, its managers and all the criminals who attacked Halil Umut Meler will be punished in the most severe way